acquire a Kingdome to Himselfe so death is to the Godlie an entrance into that kingdome which GOD hath promised to those that loue Him and everie Godlie man may vvhen hee dieth say with PAVL Hencefoorth there is layde vp for mee a Crowne of Righteousnesse Secondlie As for the vnion of Loue or Friendship which the Godlie haue with CHRIST death can not ende or dissolue it for Paul telleth vs That nothing is able to separate vs from the loue of CHRIST and in the wordes following boldlie giveth a defyance to death affirming That it is not able to effectuatâ— this separation Manie yea great and inaesteemable benefits redound vnto the Godlie by vertue of this vnion in the houre of their death For first by reason of it CHRIST IESVS in that most dangerous houre pleadeth for them most earnestlie and effectuallie Our necessitie doeth require this For when wee are arreasted by Death and are going to bee praesented before that dreadfull Tribunall vvhere all our workes of Righteousnesse yea all our sufferings can not sufficientlie pleade for vs wee haue more nor neede that that Blood which speaketh better thinges than that of Abell should pleade for Mercy and favour to vs. His loue also and most tender affection which made Him to ware or bestowe His Blood and His Lyfe for vs can not but make Him to ware His Request for vt in that tyme of our great neede Hee vvho vpon the Crosse prayed for His cruell Tormentors vvill vndoubtedlie nowe vvhen Hee is in His Kingdome remember His Friendes and say Pater ignosce iis Father forgiue them Hee vvho in that last and most dolorous night of His lyâ—e when Hee made as it were His Legacie and declared His latter Will to His Father sayde concerning all the Elect Father I will that they also whome Thou hast given Mee bee with Mee c. Hee I say will particularlie for everie one of them at the houre of their death say Father it is My will that this My Servant whom Thou hast given Mee bee with Me where I am that hee may beholde that Glorie which Thou hast given Mee Secondlie in respect of this Union CHRIST doeth strengthen the Godlie vpon their bed of languishing and maketh all their bed in their sicknesse yea Hee maketh a Bed of inward joye and comfort vnto their soules wherein they may rest and bee refreshed when their bodily payns are most grievous and intollerable For then Hse speaketh to them by His Spirit Wordes of comfort or rather as Peter calleth them Words of aeternall Lyfe He sayth to them as Hee sayde to the poenitent Thiefe To day shalt thou bee with Mee in Paradyse Hee sayth to them as Hee sayde concerning Lazarus his sicknesse This sicknesse is not vnto death yea This death is not vnto death but for the Glorie of GOD and also for your glorie that by it yee may attayne vnto aeternall Glorie and Happinesseâ— and as He sayd to Iacob when hee was going downe to Aegypt Feare not to goe downe to Aegypt for I will goe downe with thee and will surelie bring thee vp agayne so sayeth He to His languishing and dying Servants Feare not to goe downe into the darke and silent Graue for I will goe downe with you and I also will surelie bring you vp agayne These and the lyke comforts Christ Iesus by the inward and secret language or testimonie of His Spirit doeth communicate vnto manie of His Servantes â—pon their death-beds but whether or not He doeth communicate them vnto all the Elect without exception I dare not determine as I sayd before One thing I firmlie belieue That all the Elect are in some measure strengthened by Him vpon the bed of languishing I meane vpon their death-bed yea so strengthened that all the Powers of Hell can not make them to die in that fearfull sinne of Desparation For GOD vvho is not deficient in thinges necessarie for our naturall lyfe and much lesse in thinges necessarie for our spirituall estate hath giveÌ„ vs this sweet promise I will never leaue thee nor forsake thee and consequentlie deoth ever conserue in His owne Children such a measure of Fayth and Hope as is sufficient for salvation Thirdlie As the Godlie in the houre of death are bolde to commende their spirites vnto CHRIST and as it were to breathe out their soules into His Bosome for this is the last sute of a departing Saynct LORD IESVS receaue my spirit so Hee also in regard of this vnion granteth their desire that is He receaveth their spirits He welcoÌ„meth them with this sweet Salve Intra in gaudium DOMINI tui Enter into the joye of thy LORD and Hee praesenteth them vnto His Father saying Beholde I and the Children which GOD hath given mee Iohn I am sure was glad vvhen CHRIST sayde to His Mother Beholde thy Sonne and to him Beholde thy Mother Howe much more shall mee rejoyce when CHRIST bringing our soules into GOD'S Chamber of Praesence shall say to GOD Ecce Filii Tui Beholde thy Children and to vs Ecce Pater vester Beholde your Father The third or last sort of vnion which the Godlie haue with Christ to wit the vnion of influence or reall operation and in speciall that vnion whereby the Godlie are vnited with Christ as members of his mysticall bodie and branches ingrafted in him not onlie continueth or endureth vnto death but in death and by vertue thereof the spirituall lyfe which is communicated vnto the Godlie in their regeneration and the vitall operations of the same are so effectuallie and reallie preserved that the Godlie may be sayd not onlie to liue when they die but also to come by death to a greater perfection of their lyfe For the Spirit of God in the holie Scripture telleth vs that the supernaturall lyfe which wee haue by grace is an everlasting lyfe as lykewyse that it is but imperfect here and shall be perfected hereafter For here we walke by fayth and not by sight and now that is in this present lyfe we see through a glasse darklie but then that is in the lyfe to come we shall see God face to face And therefore holie Augustine sayeth verie well that our lyfe which now is nothing but hope shall hereafter be aeternitie and that the lyfe of this mortall lyfe is the hope of an immortall lyfe Yee haue heard now that the vnion which the godly haue with Christ is not abolished nor yet diminished but rather augmented and perfected by death Whereby ye may learne first how firme and stable that vnion is which wee haue with Christ seeing as I haue shown you death it selfe is not able to dissolue it Happie are these then who count all thinges but dung that they may gaine Christ and that they may be found in him c. For with MARIE they haue chosen that good part which shall not be taken
and my selfe both with the debating and discussing of these quaestions which are too curiouslie agitated and too boldlie determined by manie Divines anent it I shall onlie show you what is and hath bene holden as certaine and vndoubtedlie true by the greatest part of Christians and what is called in quaestion by judicious and orthodoxe Divines concerning the estate of the Godlie after this lyfe First then it is certaine that these who die in the Lord shal in the day of resurrection and judgement attaine to perfect and consummate happinesse of soule and bodie for in that day the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue the crowne of righteousnesse vnto all these who loue his appearing Secondlie the greatest part of Christians haue ever believed that the blessednesse which we shall then attaine vnto consisteth in the vision and fruition of the glorious essence of GOD which the Schoole-men call visionem DEI per essentiam This is evidentlie revealed vnto vs in diverse places of Scripture For our Saviour promiseth this as a reward to the pure in heart that they shall see God And Paul telleth vs that this vision of God shall be a cleare immediate and intuitiue sight of his essence For he sayeth that we who now see God through a glasse darklie shall then see him face to face And Sainct Iohn lykewyse sayeth that when he shall appeare we shall see him as he is This also hath bene constantlie believed by the Fathers of the Ancient Church for none of them ever denyed this except some fewe Greeke Fathers following Chrysostome who in diverse places of his workes affirmeth that God his infinite essence can not be seene by anie created or finite vnderstanding Thirdlie as for the estate of the souls of men during that tyme which interveaneth betwixt death and judgement although some haue most fondlie and absurdlie believed that the soule perisheth with the bodie and that both soule and bodie shall be raised vp together at the day of judgement others no lesse foolishlie haue imagined that the soule after it is separated from the bodie hath no operation nor knowledge of its owne estate but lyeth as it were in a dead sleepâ— vntill the day of judgement for the which cause they are called Psychopannychitae neverthelesse the Spirit of God in the holie Scripture telleth vs that these who kill the bodie can not kill the soule and consequentlie that the soule liveth when the bodie is killed that in the heavenlie Hierusalem there are not onlie Angels but also the spirits of just men made perfect that the Godlie when they are dissolved are with Christ and in Paradyse Lykewyse that they are not there sleeping but haue vse of their vnderstaÌ„ding we may clearlie see by the parable of Dives Lazarus by the Storie of Christs transfiguration in the which we reade that Moses and Eliah talked with Christ and by that which we reade concerning the soules of Martyres crying vnder the Altar for acceleration of the punishment of their persecutions Herefore the Fathers constantlie taught that the souls of men when they are separated from their bodies doe remember of the things which they did vpon earth and that those of them who are glorified in Heaven are sure of their owne happinesse and sollicite or carefull for the weale of the Church militant and in particular are myndfull of their parentes children brethren and other friends whom they haue left behind them on earth longing to see them in that place of glorie where they themselues are Yea even these of the Fathers who believed that the departed souls of godlie men are not fully glorified as yet and that they shal not attaine to the perfection of that happinesse whereof they are capable before the day of Iudgement thought not that they are sleeping and senselesse during the tyme of their separation from their bodies but on the contrarie thought that they are in Abrahams bosome in a state of refreshment and joye Fourthlie although some few of the Ancients taught that the souls of the Saincts departed are not as yet rewarded but keeped in one place and in one estate and condition with the wicked not being as yet so much as assured of that glorie which shall be revealed in them yet the common opinion of the Church of God in all ages hath bene that they are in an happie and blessed estate and with vnspeakable joye doe exspect the accomplishment of their happinesse yea manie of them affirme that they are with Christ that they reygne with him and that they in some sort see Gods face This is also clearly revealed in Scripture for Paul wisheth to be dissolved and to be with Christ and telleth vs that when wee are absent from the bodie we are present with the Lord. Christ also sayde to the poenitent Thiefe To day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradyse and here a voyce from Heaven proclaymeth the happinesse of the dead who die in the LORD This trueth so manifâ—stlie revealed in the Scripture although as I haue sayde it hath bene constantlie professed in the Church yet it hath bene vitiated or corrupted by the admixtion of two erroneous doctrines For first although none before holie Augustine did talke of such a Purgatorie-fyre as our Adversaries doe mayntayne yet some Fathers who lived in the third and fourth age of the Church to wit Origen Lactantius Hilarie Ambrose Ruffinus and Ierome believed that there shall be a generall Purgatione of all souls by fyre at the day of Iudgement and that none shall bee free of it except Christ who is the Righteousnesse of GOD no not the blessed and glorious Virgine Marie This opinion is not nowe mantayned by anie at least it doeth not trouble the peace of the Church and therefore I will not meddle with it Secondlie since the 400 yeare of our Lord about which tyme Augustine flowrished some Fathers haue mentioned expressed in their workes a sort of purgation by fyre verie farre different from the former For they thought that all the Elect doe not vndergoe this Purgation by fyre but onlie they who die in some kynde of guiltinesse and that these begin to be purged immediatelie after their departure Saynct Augustine spake doubtfullie of this sort of Purgation Gregorie the Great did holde it as a thing certayne but hee knew no matter or cause of this Purgation except the guiltinesse of these smaller sinnes which are called veniall for hee dreamed not of that imperfect remission of mortall sinnes committed after Baptisme which Papists doe now holde as a mayne ground of their doctrine concerning Purgatorie But I haue alreadie confuted this fond conceat and haue showne that poenitentiall remission of sinnes committed after Baptisme is no lesse perfect and absolute than baptismal remission It is true indeed these who after Baptisme or after their first justification doe fall backe into grievous sinnes haue
and WORTHIE PRELATE of Blessed Memorie did acquite himselfe in those Dueties so shall wee according to our promise conjoine to the consideration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Holie ONE and His Holiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Sacred Duetie that wee owe to the memorie of our Reverend and Holie Father But yee will say Wee haue heard alreadie his prayses It is true yee heard them judiciouslie and eloquentlie delivered the day of his Funeralls and since that agayne and agayne The harvest and reaping as it were of his prayse was the day of his Funeralls and therefore none prevented it left hee should haue seemed to haue thrust his sickle into the field of another But after reaping it is lawfull to gleane Neyther neede yee feare this travell shall be vnprofitable for the fielde is rich Beside Glorie is a frequent Celebration by manie and therefore Cicero sayth that it is an vnanimous praise of good men vncorrupt voyce of manie judging right And holy Augustine defineth Glorie A frequent report and fame with prayse Now if the mouthes of manie should bee often opened to prayse the grace of GOD in this Worthie Prelate whose should rather than ours his Presbyters who so often and so much haue tasted the sweete fruites of it If wee consider our office wee are debters by necessitie if his graces and the fruites of them by loue which is farre more as Augustine speaketh Wee are debters I say not to him alone but to GOD also who dwelt and wrought in him these thinges and to you whose loving and faythfull Pastor hee was Come therefere and let vs shortlie view the Crowne of his excellent Perfectiōs which haue bene so steadable to this whole CHVRCH to this whole Land and to you especiallie I aime not at a just pourtraict of his worth that exceedeth my strength yea I doubt not but the most sufficient will bee contented with the excellent Paynters of olde to drawe vnder their labours of this kynde titulum pendentem as Plinie speaketh and to say they are but doing and had not yet done It shall content our weaknesse to giue some small and rude delineation Even GOD accepteth of that which wee are able to doe The first Iewell of his Crowne that I present vnto your view is his Iudgement which was in him most rare it was readie pearcing stayed and happie None could more readilie conceaue deeplie dyue or more resolutelie and solidlie conclude Two rare Ornamentes beautified it The first Singular Learning in holie Scripture which from his youth hee sought and so followed after that hee did happilie wade in the deepest mysteries of that high and sublime Apostle saynct Iohn surnamed by way of excellencie The Divine as appeareth by his learned Commentarie vpon his Revelation The second was Prudence wherein hee excelled not others onelie but also himselfe This made him even in youth famous at home abroad for it the wysest king that Europe had did take particular notice of him By the same when advanced to Ecclesiastical and saecular praeferment hee governed the difficile and turbulent state of this CHVRCH wherein he did encounter with so manie distempered judgementes perverse and vnrulie humoures in peace and quyetnesse those seavēhteene yeares with wonderful dexteritie By this hee as Honorarius arbiter according to the practise of most holie and ancient Bishops setled the Variances of Lay-men having recourse to his wisdome as to an Oracle Variances I say which if not composed by him might haue broken out into the same dolefull effectes which the lyke Dissentions haue brought to other partes of the Countrey By the same was hee most steadable to the whole Estate whether hee sate in Parliament or Counsell and for it honoured and admired by the wysest of the Kingdome A most necessarie Vertue this was for his place A Priest sayeth Chrysostome should bee various that is sayeth hee not subdolous flattering or dissembling but one that can accommodate and applye himselfe according to the matter in hand and that can both bee benigne and severe Hee knewe by it how to accommodate himselfe to tymes places persons and occasions so walking with a strayght foote that in the meane tyme he remembered that he lived not in Republica Platonis but in face Romuli not in Plato's Common-wealth but in the midst of a perverse Generation which saying hee had often in his mouth and for not observing whereof hee sayd Cato was justlie censured by Cicero Another rare Gemme of this Crowne was his Eloquence His expression was graue and majesticke powerfull copious and playne having in it a singular and sweete insinuation and grace his face and eyes as yee knowe shyning so that by his speach thinges were presented rather to the sight than convoyed to the eare So great was his dexteritie in this that if hee did reade the holie Scripture hee did so sensiblie and powerfullie convoy it to the mynde that I haue thought often one might haue profite more by his reading than by reading the Commentaries of manie To these great Perfections was joyned that Ornament of all Vertues as the Philosopher calleth it Magnanimitie so justlie may I call the generous cowragious and constant disposition of his mynde The Philosopher telleth vs That the magnanimous man is exercysed in great matters and yet so great hee is that none of these is great to him Such a depth and weyght hee hath of excellent Vertues as maketh him also stayed and setled in everie thing vvhence hee is neyther moved with allurement of Honour nor shaken with feare of Danger nor easilie taken vp with Admiration Yea in his verie wordes gesture he is graue and stayed and finallie is guided by Trueth and not by Opinion This worthie Prelate was such a one He had a Greatnesse Weyght more excellent than the Philosopher could dreame of For beside his Naturall and Morall Perfection which in this kynde was excellent hee had that weyght of Divine Grace which establisheth and imboldeneth the heart GOD the Rocke of Ages dwelt in his Soule to whome hee was most strictlie vnited by firme confidence Hence was hee most graue and stayed in all his wordes deedes and behaviour This made him that hee chased not Honour as manie doe nor turned his backe to Terrours His face was as Adamant when hee was to stryue for good against the perverse and no crosse could make his heart to breake as hee vsed to say Popular opinion and applause hee contemned condemning it exceedinglie in those that are affected with it and recommending nothing more to others than the contempt thereof In a word Hee was employed in great thinges and was encountered with great crosses and yet hee was still greater than his fortunes so to speake whether good or evill Thus truelie was hee Magnanimous But what of all this rich and precious Crowne which was made vp of so rare Iewels if wee finde not
him converted There Andrew shall present before the Iudge Achaia Iohn Asia Thomas India converted as Gregorie speaketh O that yee may bee with him in lyke manner with joye at the right Hand of the Iudge in that Day The LORD grant it for CHRIST'S sake To whome with the FATHER and Blessed SPIRIT bee all Prayse and Glorie for ever and ever AMEN A CONSOLATORIE SERMON Preached vpon the death of the R. R. Father in GOD PATRICKE FORBES Late BISHOP of ABERDENE By ALEXANDER ROSSE Doctor of DIVINITIE and MINISTER of the EVANGELL in ABERDENE in Saynct NICOLAS Church there Anno 1635. the xv of Aprill DAN xij 2 And manie of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to ever-lasting lyfe and some to shame and ever-lasting contempt IT may perhaps seeme strange that the noyse of my mourning for the death of our late Worthie Prelate was not these dayes by-past with the rest of my Reverend Colleagues heard in publicke This duetie had beene performed ere nowe were not Death fearing that my vnappeased griefe through sense of my great losse should haue made mee to burst out into bitter and Tâ—agicke Invectiues agaynst her and so haue brought you all in hatred with her as with that vvhich the Philosopher saieth is omnium terribilium terribilissimum Of all thinges that are terrible the most terrible did arrest mee by her mightie Herauld Sicknesse to the end that by neare communing with her I might knowe and impart the same vnto you also that shee is not so indeede as her grieslie lookes doe praetende not an enemie to the Godlie as nowe in our mourning shee is holden to be but a friende and herefore in your mourning you should bee comforted For by the death of CHRIST her nature is changed Through death Hee hath destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devill and delivered them who through the feare of death were all their lyfe tyme subject vnto bondage Hebr. ij 14.15 Death is no more death I am sayeth our Saviour the Resurrection and the Lyfe hee that believeth in Me though hee were dead yee shall hee liue And whosoever liveth and believeth in Mee shall never die IOHN xj 25.26 By her the Godlie are bound in the bundle of Lyfe Shee is but the way that all flesh doeth goe to put an ende to their miseries Shee looseth them out of Prison gathereth them to their Fathers maketh them lay downe their tabernacle and putteth them into a sound sleepe from whence they shall bee awakened to ever-lasting Lyfe But because it were endlesse to showe you all the good we nowe obtayn by Death I haue bounded my selfe within the limites of this Text wherin we haue a sweete Cordiall for the reliefe of the heart of Man from two great evils to wit The ignorance of the nature of Death it selfe and the ectate of men after death Feare not to taste therof for it is praescrybed by the Greatest DOCTOR in Heaven or in earth GOD Himselfe the Soveraygne and onlie Physician both of Soule and bodie The Apothecarie by whose hand it was delivered was an Angell who gaue it for a strong Consolation vnto Daniel and hee who hath left it vnto vs for that same vse was this same Daniel Vir desideriorum A man greatlie beloved of GOD A Pen-man of holie Scripture who spake and writ as hee was inspired by the holie Ghost And it is of an immortall and never-fading Vertue flowing from the immortall and all-sufficient Worth and Merit of the death and Resurrection of IESVS CHRIST That Death by the ignorance of the true nature thereof doe not dismay you learne to knowe That it is but a sleepe That the estate after death doe not dishearten you learne that it is but a wakening and such a one as is to Lyfe and such a lyfe as shall haue no death an ever-lasting Lyfe a sweete Cordiall indeede but the comfort contayned in it doeth not indifferentlie concerne all All indeede shall sleepe all shall awake but not all to ever-lasting Lyfe The awakening of some shall bee to shame and contempt for Qualis vita finis ita Lyke lyfe lyke ende lyke awakening Who liveth in the LORD shall die in the LORD rest from their laboures and awake to ever-lasting Lyfe And who liveth in sinne their ende is destruction and their awakening is to shame For this Text hath its own both Extent Restraynt Extent all indeede shall sleepe all shall awake Restraynt Some to ever-lasting Lyfe some to shame and contempt There bee some I knowe doe not allow to it this just Extent in regard it is sayde onlie manie that sleepe in the dust For they thinke that all men shall not suffer death which by sleepe is meant heere Grounding themselues vpon the wordes of the Apostle 1. COR. xv 51 Beholde I showe you a mysterie Wee shall not all sleepe but wee shall all bee changed Hee distinguisheth all men vnto those who shall bee alyue and remayne vnto the comming of the LORD and those that shal be asleepe Which distinction importeth That those who then shall bee alyue shall not die but shall immediatelie or without anie death intenveaning bee caught vp with the rest of the Elect to meete the LORD in the ayre Tyme will not serue mee to speake of this mysterie as Paull calleth it at such length as I would onlie yee shall know that the ancient Fathers of the Church haue bene much divided in their judgemeÌ„ts concerning those whom the LORD at His comming to Iudgement shall finde alyue Chrysostome wryting vpon that place and diverse Greek Fathers following him haue thought that they shall not die but that they shall bee changed from the estate of Mortalitie vnto the estate of Aeternitie Of this opinion also were some of the Latine Fathers in speciall Tertullian and Ierome and diverse moderne Wryters both Papistes as Cajetane and some others led by his authoritie as also Protestantes as Calvine and some others following him But manie haue beene and are yet of another opinion that is they haue believed or at least thought it more probable That even those who shall bee alyue at the LORD His second comming shall truelie and reallie die that they may vndergoe the common punishment of Man-kynde and shall immediatelie thereafter bee raysed vp or quickened that they may compeare with the rest vnto Iudgement Of this opinion were diverse both of the Greeke Fathers as Dydimus one of the Doctors of Alexandria and Acacius Bishop of Caesarea as we may perceaue by Ierome his Epistle to Minerius and Alexander EPIST. 152. vvhere the judgement of them both in this particular is related and Oecumenius in his Commentaries expounding this place and also of the Latine Fathers as the Author of the Commentaries vpon Paul's Epistles attributed to Ambrose in Thes. Cap. 4. Augustine in some places of his workes as Lib. 20. De Civitate DEI Cap. 20. although in other places hee seeme to encline to
which this Text offereth to our consideration is the reason of this wish of olde Simeon or what it is that maketh the death of the godlie to bee peaceable consequentlie so appetible to wit even the sight of the Lords Salvation for so calleth hee CHRIST and which word in the greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth as much as that hee is the author yea the verie treasurie and store-house where in all salvation is contayned as hee is lykewyse called so by the Prophet Isai. 52.10 and so clearlie distinguished from all others who in Scripture were styled by the name of Saviours Neyther is it that wee must thinke that a corporall sight heere is onelie meant for that was common but that with the eye of fayth also which is speciall and proper onelie to the elect hee sawe this blessed Babe to bee that salvation preordayned and appoynted by the LORD promised and now sent in the flesh for the redemption of mankynd Whence wee obserue In that it is formerlie sayde that this just and devote man Simeon wayted for the consolation of Israell had it revealed vnto him by the holy Ghost that before hee sawe death hee should see the LORD' 's Anoynted and now that his longing is satisfied and that promise which was made vnto him as hee confesseth is fulfilled wee see that as the Godlie hunger and thirst speciallie after spirituall things so they are ever heard in their Godlie desires and in such things that concerne their salvation therefore as in Davids words doubtlesse hee had sayde before O Lord I haue longed for thy salvation yea my soule faynteth for the same when wilt thou comfort mee and with the holie Patriarches as the Apostle showeth as hee had embraced the promise thereof spirituallie which was made vnto him there anent so now at last wee see hee getteth him who was promised to embrace in his armes corporallie and accordinglie acknowledgeth joyfullie that his eyes now did see the Lords salvation And so the Lords promise is performed his longing satisfied and his wayting accomplished Let vs then onelie with olde Simeon wayte patientlie and constantlie for his consolations rest assured that he is myndfull of vs and his owne promises and in his owne good fitte tyme will come vnto vs for our joye and will make no tarrying 2. Wee see the ground or cause of a peaceable and comfortable death to wit a preceeding sight of the Lords salvation which hee hath decreed to bee by the Sonne of his loue CHRIST IESUS and for whose sake and merit of his death hee hath admitted such of mankynd to lyfe as hee hath elected for the manifestation of the ritches and glorie of his grace This therefore is the right arte of dying well to get true fayth and to fix the eye thereof as the people in the wildernesse did vpon that true brasen Serpent CHRIST IESUS the Lord of lyfe Incorporate thy selfe in him then and there shal be no condemnation to them that are in CHRIST Wrap thy selfe in his righteousnesse and it shall bee lyke Elias mantle which devyded the waters of Iordan cleaue thereby to his crosse and it shall be lyke that tree that made the waters of Marah sweet or Moses rod which made a safe passage to Israell thorow the red sea Set the Arke of the Covenant in these waters and from the desert of this world thou shalt haue a patent and pleasant path to that heavenlie Canaan yea tho stones were flinging about thy eares to braine thee as was done to that protomartyr Steven yet looking vp with the eye of fayth getting a sight of IESUS CHRIST standing at the right hand of his Father readie to receaue thee thy departure shall bee most calme and comfortable and thy sinnes being silenced by him who is this salvation spoken of thou shalt heare nothing but the sweet voyce of that blood of sprinkling which speaketh better things nor the blood of Abell and dying as it were in the armes of thy Lord As Iacob sawe with joye of heart the chariots that Ioseph sent for him for his transportation so shalt thou see the glorious and blessed Angels sent for thee and thy good workes following thee the one to guyde thee and surrender their charge the other to gladden thee and receaue their reward 3. As wee see what is the ground of the peaceable death of the Godlie so on the contrarie wee may perceaue what is the cause of the terrour of death in the wicked and that the memorie thereof so much tormenteth them before the tyme that as Pharao did to Moses they bid it goe packing out of their sight even this is the cause thereof that being blinded by Satan all the dayes of their lyfe in committing sinne never once looking with a tearing eye of true repentance vpon them therefore in death they never get a sight of this salvation of the Lords nor haue they anie assurance that hee who is the Saviour of the world shall bee a Saviour to them but on the contrarie then they finde that hee who was their Tempter beginneth to bee their Tormenter then they begin to heare the clamours of their accusing conscience to see the vglie shape of their sinfull soules the dreadfull aspect of their haynous sinnes the wrathfull face of the angrie Iudge Heaven closed aboue to debarre them as Adam was from the tree of lyfe and hell opened beneath to swallow them as the earth was to swallow vp Korah then they beginne to feele the approaching flames of that infernall fyre paynfullie to scorch them the worme that never dieth drawing neare to guawe them the wrath of GOD that never shall bee appeased most furious to astonish them and the infernall fiendes who attende to terrifie and cruellie to torture them In which wofull estate to hyde themselues is impossible to avoyde these miseries inevitable and to endure them intollerable Hence the sting of death shall torment them the rememberance of judgement perplexe them the gulfe of despare without hope or helpe swallowe them and the apprehension of eternitie in easelesse endlesse payne confound them O! who can then expresse their sad sorrow for sinnes past their agonizing anguish for miserie present and their trembling terrours for the tormentes to come being justlie thus served as they haue deserved and finding at the dolefull parting of the sinfull soule from the wretched bodie whose meeting agayne and re-uniting to be a faggot in hell fire shall be much more dolefull and dolorous no comfort from Heaven nor earth the Creator nor the creature but matter of confusion The ground of all which deepe distresse beeing this Because the soule with olde Simeon here can get no sight of the LORDS Salvation 4. Wee see here a neare and cleare way howe to contemne all earthlie and worldlie thinges the bewitching loue whereof hath made manie to make ship-wracke of a good conscience and clogged their hearts so to the earth
their awakening even everlasting lyfe This is that happie Estate which the Godlie both in their soules and bodies shall enjoy at the last day Happie I say because of Lyfe but more happie because Aeternall The happinesse of this Estate the wit of man can not conceaue no tongue can expresse it for no eye of man hath sene it no eare heard it nor haue entered into the heart of man the thinges which GOD hath prepared for them that loue Him 1. Cor. 2.9 And Gregorie speaking heereof sayeth Cùm homo mortalis de aeterna gloria disserit coecus de luce disputat that is When as a mortall man reasoneth of aeternall Glorie it is as a blinde man discerning coloures Yet because such is the eagernesse of man's desire to knowe somewhat of that Estate and such vnspeakable Contentment it bringeth to the heartes of the Godlie which haue the least glimpse of it therefore the Spirit of GOD in Scripture hath not left vs in this comfortlesse but is content to expresse it in some sort that at least afarre off wee may see that which one day wee shall enjoye Hee telleth vs That that lyfe is a lyfe of all brightnesse joye felicitie and glorie That therein wee shall get a Kingdome an Inheritance vncorruptible vndefyled that fadeth not away 1. Pet. j. 4 A Crowne of Righteousnesse 2. Tim. iv 8 A Crowne of Lyfe a Crowne of Glorie 1. Pet. v. 4 An exceeding aeternall weyght of Glorie 2. Cor. iv 17 That there shall bee Glorie Honour and Peace to everie man that worketh good Rom. 11.10 The bodies shall haue their glorie For wee looke sayeth the Apostle for the LORD IESVS CHRIST who shall change our vyle bodie that it may bee fashioned lyke vnto His glorious bodie according to the working whereby He is able to subdue all thinges to Himselfe Phil. iij. 21 That bodie which was sowen in corruption shall be raysed in incorruption that which is sowen in dishonour shall be raysed in glorie and that which is sowne in weaknesse shall bee raysed in power and what is sowen a naturall bodie shal be raised a spirituall bodie 1. Cor. xv 42.43.44 Wherevpon it is that the Schoole-men gather foure speciall Enduementes wherewith the bodie as with a most gorgeous Robe shall bee glorified It shall be impassible glorious agile and spirituall suffering no corruption shyning in brightnesse as the starres in the firmament with all readinesse and pleasure doing what the soule shall command free from all animall employmentes as eating drinking begetting of children neyther marrying nor giving in marriage but aequall with the Angels of GOD Luke xx 36 The soules agayne shall bee in perfect Happinesse in regarde of their cleare vision of GOD. Heere wee see Him but darklie as it were in a glasse but there wee shall see Him face to face Now we know but in part but there wee shall know even as wee are knowne 1. Cor. xiij 12 And next in regarde of their fruition of GOD For the Lambe which is in the middest of the Throne shall feede them and leade them to the fountaynes of living waters and GOD shall wype away all teares from their eyes Revel vij 17 And thirdlie in regarde of their perfect loue of GOD. Yea in a word man in that estate enjoying GOD shall participate of that same Happinesse wherewith GOD Himselfe is happie For as the Happinesse of GOD consisteth in the Vision or Contemplation of His owne Essence So our Happinesse shal stand in the viewing of the Essence of GOD or which is all one in beholding of the glorious and amiable Countenance of that LORD in whose presence there is fulnesse of joye and at whose right Hand there are pleasures for evermore Wherefore I may saye with BERNARD Et quis non illic habitare vehementer desideret propter pacem propter amoenitatem propter aeternitatem propter DEI visionem that is And who will not earnestlie desire to dwell there for the peace the pleasure the aeternitie and the sight of GOD there Having thus shortlie run through this CONSOLATORIE Text the doctrine whereof as it is at al tymes so nowe moste necessarie when your heartes are fraughted with griefe for the death of our late Venerable Prelate of whome albeit much hath beene worthilie spoken yet it is impossible for vs not beeing of aequall worth with himselfe to speake according to his worth Vt enim de pictore sculptore fictore nisi artifex judicare ita nisi sapiens non potest perspicere sapientem Plin. Sec. Lib. 1. Epist. 10. Onlie a wyse man sayth hee can fullie obserue a wyse man and hee must bee of aequall worth who can remarke in the Worthie what is worthie to bee observed Therefore I resolved to cover his prayses with silence and now onlie comfort you agaynst his death But fearing if too suddenlie I did stop the current of your griefe it should rather over-flow nor cease I can not but giue you this vent and with you acknowledge that great is the losse which both Church and Policie doeth sustayne beeing deprived of him For justlie may that testimonie of prayse bee given him which the wyse man giveth to David Eccl. 47.2 As is the fat taken away from the Peace-offring so was David chosen out of the children of Israell For albeit all the Peace-offering amongst the Israelites was by a speciall lawe consecrated vnto the LORD yet onelie the fat would the LORD haue given vnto Himselfe as the speciall chiefe and best part So albeit all the people of Israell were holie vnto the LORD yet DAVID in comparison with them was as the fat of the Sacrifice aboue others chosen of GOD and delectable vnto Him So may I say of our worthie Prelate As the fat taken away from the Peace-offering so hee a man full of fat that is of choyce and excellent giftes was speciallie chosen out by GOD to bee consecrated to His glorie in the good of His Church and Common-wealth heere For hee testified in all the actes of his lyfe that the grace of GOD had appeared vnto him and taught him to denye all vngodlinesse and worldlie lustes and to liue godlie righteouslie and soberlie in this present worlde still seeking for that blessed Hope and glorious Apperance of our LORD and SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST And in particular in the actes of his Priestlie or Ministeriall Calling hee did testifie that hee was a chosen Vessell vnto CHRIST to carrie His Name For hee was a worke-man who needed not to bee ashamed rightlie hee could divide the Word of Trueth fled youthfull lustes and did followe Righteousnesse Fayth Charitie and Peace with them that call on the LORD with a pure heart c. In the actes of his Prelacie hee kythed that the LORD had separated him for this worke as a man fit to rule For hee was one that did rule his owne spirit and so in Salomon's esteeme better than one that taketh a Citie Prov. xvj 32 In which